Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-08

the Coming Contests VIII be Played.
Paste This in Your Hat.
WASHINGTON, April An. T.. Young,
president of the National Baseball league,
has made several changes in the summary of
the official score, and the total bases" col
umn has been eliminated from the full
scores. According to the new plan, Mr..
Young says there will be runs earned, two
base hits, three base hits, double and triple
plays, bases on balls, bases given for hitting
a man with the ball, passed balls, wild
pitches, time of game, umpire. The Nationals
will begin active work this week. The fol-
lowing is the programmes: With Portlands
on Monday and Tuesday, Williams college
on Wednesday, and Buffalo on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday.
Among the interpretations of the rules as
officially issued by President Young are the
following:
A balk is 'any motion calculated to de-
ceive base runner;" is any side movement
of the pitcher, which, while not contrary TO
the wording of the rule constitutes a balk
by lending the base runner to think that the
side motion made is that of pitching to the
bat and not throwing to the bat.
If the pitcher holds the ball and unneces-
sarily delays the game, it is a balk. If the
pitcher makes motion to deliver the ball
while outside the box, it is balk; a feint to
throw to n base is not a balk if the pitcher re-
sumes his position and makes distinct pause
before delivering the ball to the bat.
Any ball delivered by the pitcher after he
has raised his foot froA its position on the
rear line of the "box," or delivered after
taking more than one step, or delivered after
stepping out of the box, is an illegal ball
must be declared dead ball and counted as
"ball." Any ball that touches any rart of
batsman's person or clothing or his bat
without being struck at, or any part Of the
umpires person or clothing, without first
passing the catcher is dead ball.
Every fair ball delivered by the pitcher,
whether struck at or not, is a strike, and
whenever a batsman purposely hits a foul
ball the umpire must call strike on him.
A batsman gets four strikes and is out if the
ball be caught by the catcher on the fly, ex-
cept in case the first base be occupied by a
runner then the batsman is out the moment
the fourth strike is called on him, except
when two men are already out in which
case the catcher must catch the ball on the
fourth strike on the fly, or the batsman
then becoming base runner, must be
thrown out at Arst base.
seven. If the pitcher delivers an illegal bal
to the batsman, or hits his person or clothing
with the ball, the batsman is entitled to take
his base without being put out. The batsmar
is not entitled to take his base on balk
although the base runner can take a base or
a balk.
III. in over running first base, a base runner
after passing the base, turns to the left from
the foul line, he shall forfeit exemption from
being put out. If a base runner detaches the
base bag from its fastening, and he is not put
out before touching the bag, he shall not bt
decided out for being off the base.
There are two classes of fair balls, viz. 9
fair ball as delivered by the pitcher, and G
fair ball as hit by the batsman. A fair bal
delivered by the pitcher is ball which il
illegally" delivered, and which passes ovel
| the home base, and not lower than the range
Of the batsman's knee nor higher than tina
Of his shoulder. A fair ball hit by the bats
man is a ball hit high in the air which falls
| to the ground on fair ground, or which /,
hit direct to the ground from the bat, frs,
touches foul ground, and then rebounds Oh
rolls on to fair ground before passing ovel
or touching first and third bases.
| If a player is disabled he cannot have q
substitute to run for him. Instead, he mus
reulre from tne game ana another man TAXI
his place. The captain is the only man who
| has the right to inquire about decision OIL
an umpire, and then only to secure the mean
ing of the rule. Should be question - de
cision he will lay himself open to s. fine
while player who questions decision car
be fined 80.
In scoring, player is charged with time
at the bat in every case except where he i.
hit by pitched ball or gets his base on ar
| illegally pitched ball. The batsman has
base hit when he gets base on balls. Tn,
total base column IS abolished, and in it.
| place is one for stolen bases. The player i:
credited with stolen base for every has,
made after reaching first, except those mad,
by being forced, by batting, by n battery
error or by balk. 1t doesn't make any
| difference whether the fielder or catcher
makes an error while trying to put the bas,
| runner out, the runner gets n stolen base
| just the same. Battery errors, bases on
balls, wild pitches, bases OH batsmen being
, hit by pitched ball, illegally pitched balls
balks and passed balls shall not be included
in the error column. The pitcher gets al
| assist for every strike out